Baltasar and Blimunda, episode 4 "In Lisbon..."

I have been rooting through some old recordings and preparing them for posting online.

This piece is a collaboration between three artists. Originally conceived from a narrative from Jose Saramago's Baltasar and Blimunda, a painter, dramatist, and composer each present their own interpretation.

A large triptych comprises the visual aspect. Painter Julie Christensen draws on details from the narrative as well as the mood of the music to create her canvas. The dramatist Sheila Rocha likewise has the opportunity to draw upon the narrative and music as well as the reactions and atmosphere provided by the audience. The overall effect is a complete immesion in the expression of the original story.

Audience members hear the music, converse with the story, and see the art - all of which is being created before their eyes. During the performance, the audience is surrounded by the music; they are part of the telling, and they watch the painting unfold.

Rudolf Kamper's Baltasar and Blimunda are a series of pieces begun during the composer's stay in Mexico. All of the music in these pieces expanded from a few short cells of music which were sinpired by the characters and themes in Jose Saramago's novel.

I was really struck by your paintings of the reflections of the stained glass windows on the floor, and the monks. I am excited to add something like that to my music - to put more bright relexive sounds dancing on top of the dark and heavy structures which I've already got started. Some brittle flute sounds noodling around those big chords should be perfect for this. Also it creats a kind of theme of heavy stone structures (like the church) against these things which aren't really physical and which float around the (the colored light) dancing around the physical and corporeal (the world of men). As I think about it some this idea is again in the Halo on the saint's statue. A halo isn't really physical, it's just and aura, yet here it is physical enough for the mad monk to take away in punishment. Again, the difference between the heavy earth-bound and ethereal... Also mixing the tow by making a halo physcal and removable.

-email to the painter, by the composer.

click here for a slide presentation (.WMV)

recorded live performance at ARTSaha! 2005, with pictures of that performance.